Ballygunner were crowned Munster hurling club champions in Semple Stadium, the Waterford side collecting a historic first title since 2001.

Na Piarsaigh defended the Town End and began with a terrific solo goal from Kevin Downes. Conor Power and Brian O’Sullivan hit points in return; Shane Dowling hit a free and it was 1-1 to 0-2 on five minutes.

A Pauric Mahony free was followed by Brian O’Sullivan winning a Ballygunner penalty on 27 minutes: the Waterford side’s keeper Stephen O’Keeffe came up and goaled to level the game. A late Mahony free left Ballygunner one up at the half, 1-7 to 1-6.

Mahony (free) and Barry O’Sullivan hit points on the resumption, then Brian O’Sullivan put the Gunners four clear and the initiative was clearly with the Waterford men.

Mahony added a long-range free before Dowling had Na Piarsaigh’s first real chance, a close-in free. He took a quick one to Kevin Downes, who netted, but referee Nathan Wall called play back. Dowling pointed when he retook the free but Mahony responded from play – 1-12 to 1-7 on 42 minutes.

The same man dropped a ball all the way to the net from a free in his own half and added a point from a free immediately afterwards, and it was all Ballygunner – 2-13 to 1-7 and just over ten minutes left. Na Piarsaigh required a complete Ballygunner collapse to have any chance and that was never likely. O’Keeffe’s fine save from a Dowling shot energised his teammates.

Dowling would find the net from a free on 53 minutes but Ballygunner held out for a deserved win.

Student/OAP rebate available on matchday and pre-purchase tickets at designated turnstiles.

This is an unreserved fixture. It is only the O’Riann Stand open on the day.

Tickets available via participating Centra and Supervalu outlets.

Match Programme

Pick up a copy of the 32 page souvenir match programme

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 18th, 2018 at 1:00 am and is filed under events, Front page news, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dr Crokes soar through to football senior club final with 21-point win over St Finbarr’s

Report By Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Dr Crokes 5-20 – 1-11 St Finbarr’s

A massacre at Lewis Road. 5-20 from Crokes, each one of their 25 scores arriving from play.

The winning margin, which wound up at 21 points, was perfectly reflective of their unstinting dominance throughout, as well as the ruthless nature showed by every one of the 11 players who wrote their names onto a fairly lengthy scoresheet.

For St Finbarr’s, it was a harrowing afternoon. The contest was beyond them from relatively early in the opening period, but instead of the opposition easing off in the second period, the arrival of Colm Cooper and Jordan Kiely off the bench saw Crokes continue to punch holes in the visiting defence at every opportunity.

Between them, Kiely and Cooper contributed 1-4. From the starting team, the six forwards two midfielders and centre-back Gavin White all made scoring contributions.

It was relentless from a side who booked their third straight provincial appearance and seventh this decade with remarkable ease. It was game over at half-time as the hosts held an unassailable 2-11 to 1-3 lead. The writing was on the wall as early as the first quarter for the visitors as Crokes charged into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead.

The Cork champions did open brightly and pressed the Crokes defence early on, but all they had to show for their early attacks was a single Stephen Sherlock free. At the other end, the Barr’s defence was in all sorts of bother.

Crokes’ corner-forward pair of Tony Brosnan and David Shaw were causing endless problems for Glen O’Connor and Dylan Quinn, with Ross O’Dwyer, who was pulled off after just 16 minutes, finding the going particularly tough against Kieran O’Leary.

Gavin O’Shea and a beautiful Brosnan kick off the left sent the Kerry champions 0-8 to 0-1 clear by the 17th minute. The Barr’s, to their credit, fought gamely to wrestle back a game which was quickly moving away from them.

Sherlock kicked his second free and then Eoghan McGreevey, after a fine Colm Scully block back the field to instigate the move, lobbed Shane Murphy for a much-needed goal.

Looney and Conor Dennehy swapped points in the subsequent passages to leave three between them, 0-9 to 1-3, but in the closing eight minutes of the half, the home side kicked 2-2 without reply to end this game as a contest.

Johnny Buckley delivered their first, with his midfield partner Daithi Casey, after a truly brilliant Kieran O’Leary pass, bagging their second in first-half stoppages.

The second-half was even more brutal from a Barr’s perspective. Micheál Burns, David Shaw and Kiely all rose green flags, whereas the Cork side was time and again left frustrated as they chased goals.

Adult: €15
Students/OAP’s: €10, will receive their concession at the designated stile with valid ID prior to entry
U16’s: Free

Tickets are available now from participating Centra & Supervalu outlets

Match Programme

Pick up a copy of the 32 page souvenir match programme on Sunday

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 11th, 2018 at 2:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

St Joseph’s to face Dr Crokes in Munster club senior football final after win over The Nire

The Nire 0-9 – 2-11 St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay

Report By Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Clare champions St Joseph’s of Miltown Malbay will face Dr Croke’s of Kerry in the Munster club senior football final, having seen off The Nire in a soggy Fraher Field, Dungarvan.

The Waterford champions defended the dressing-room end in the first half, facing the breeze, and opened the scoring with a fine Tom Barron point: Eoin Cleary replied with a Miltown free.

A loose ball squirted to Nire danger man Conor Gleeson but his first-time show was saved by Sean O’Brien in the Miltown goal and the Clare men had a Kieran Malone point when they swept downfield.

Miltown were exposing The Nire by running hard through the middle, where Eoin Cleary got on a lot of ball. Clever supporting runs earned them another Cleary free and a Colin Hehir point – 0-4 to 0-1 on ten minutes.

The Waterford men were far more deliberate in their build-up, but Jamie Barron hit a Nire point, Shane Ryan added a free and Gleeson levelled matters.

Oisin Looney nudged Miltown one ahead on 20 minutes, 0-5 to 0-4, as The Nire rued their errant free-taking. Malone tapped over a neat point. Cormac Murray had a sight of goal for the Clare men just then but blazed wide: he added a good point soon afterwards and Conor Cleary hit a long-range effort. There was just time for Gleeson to point a free, leaving it 0-9 to 0-5 at the half.

Conditions deteriorated dramatically over half-time and both sides struggled to express themsleves, but Shane Walsh hit a Nire point on 35 minutes. Eoin Curtin responded for Miltown. Dylan Guiry cut the Miltown lead to three on 40 minutes, just before Cormac Murray soloed through before crashing home a fine goal, 1-10 to 0-7.

In the conditions it was a hugely significant score, giving the Clare men a cushion, but Jamie Barron hit two Nire points to make it a four point game entering the last ten minutes. However, Miltown sub Sean Malone first-time a ground ball to the net to end the game as a contest with nine minutes left.

Referee Padraig O’Sullivan denied The Nire what seemed a certain penalty on 54 minutes which might have made the closing stages more interesting. The Nire’s James McGrath was sent off late on thanks to a second yellow card but was then allowed back on, presumably due to mistaken identity.

Adult: €15
Students/OAP’s: €10, will receive their concession at the designated stile with valid ID prior to entry
U16’s: Free

Tickets are available now from participating Centra & Supervalu outlets

Match Programme

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 11th, 2018 at 1:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Adult: €15
Students/OAP’s: €10, will receive their concession at the designated stile with valid ID prior to entry
U16’s: Free

Tickets are available now from participating Centra & Supervalu outlets.

Match Programme

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the 32 page souvenir match programme for this game.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 4th, 2018 at 4:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Adult: €15
Students/OAP’s: €10, will receive their concession at the designated stile with valid ID prior to entry
U16’s: Free

Tickets are available now from participating Centra & Supervalu outlets.

Match Programme

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the 36 page souvenir match programme for this game.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 4th, 2018 at 3:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Adult: €15
Students/OAP’s: €10, will receive their concession at the designated stile with valid ID prior to entry
U16’s: Free

Tickets are available now from participating Centra & Supervalu outlets.

Match Programme

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the 36 page souvenir match programme for this game.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 4th, 2018 at 12:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, October 28th, 2018 at 12:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

This entry was posted
on Saturday, October 27th, 2018 at 12:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, October 21st, 2018 at 2:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Big weekend for all hurling supporters in Clare with Minor, Junior, Intermediate and Senior Finals down for decision. Also two Clare Cup semi finals. Junior B Football Final.Avail of a Weekend Ticket to cover all adult games for €25.Tickets on sale at GAA Office in Clareabbey pic.twitter.com/sww9oeNB2h

This entry was posted
on Sunday, October 21st, 2018 at 1:00 am and is filed under events, News, Videos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.